Crane for loading and unloading container ships



Oct. 6, 1970 H. TAX 3,532,227

CRANE FOR LOADING AND UNLOADING CONTAINER SHIPS Filed Jan. 29, 1968 4Shouts-Shout 1 r" fl? {if/Q //v VE/WOR H. TAX

CRANE FOR LOADING AND UNLOADING CONTAINER SHIPS 4 Shouts-Sheet 3 FiledJan. 29, 1968 Hllll Ilium HIII Oct. 6, Wm H. TAX 3,53

CRANE FOR LOADING AND UNLOADING CONTAINER SHIPS Filed Jan. 29, 1968 4Sheets-Sheet 3 Oct. 6, 1970 H. TAX 3,532,227

CRANE FOR LOADING AND UNLOADING CONTAINERv SHIPS Filed Jan. 29, 1968 4Shanta-Sheet &

United States Patent O 3,532,227 CRANE FOR LOADING AND UNLOADINGCONTAINER SHIPS Hans Tax, 3 Potsdamer Strasse, 8 Munich 23, GermanyFiled Jan. 29, 1968, Ser. No. 701,328 Claims priority, applicationGermany, Feb. 3, 1967,

Int. Cl. 1366c /02 U.S. Cl. 212 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Agantry crane having two side frames connected by a bridge. A pivotedportion of the bridge extends beyond one of the side frames. Ahoist-carrying trolley travels over the fixed bridge portion and thepivoted bridge portion when the latter is horizontal. The power stationfor the hoist and for raising and lowering the pivoted bridge portion isarranged on top of the side frame remote from the pivoted bridge portionto improve the stability of the crane under all operating conditions.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to the loading andunloading of container ships, and particularly to a crane fortransferring large shipping containers between the hold of a ship andland-based vehicles.

Known cranes for such service are equipped with a gantry-like supportingstructure consisting mainly of two horizontally spaced side frames whosetops are connected by a fixed portion of a bridge, while another bridgeportion pivoted to the fixed portions extends beyond one of the sideframes and may be swung between a horizontal position and an uprightposition. In the first-mentioned position the pivoted bridge portionextends over the deck of a boat to be loaded or unloaded. In the otherposition, the pivoted bridge portion is out of the boats path.

A trolley equipped with a hoist travels along the fixed bridge portionand also along the pivoted bridge portion when the latter is in itshorizontal position. The power station of the known cranes is arrangedon a cantilevered bridge portion extending from the fixed bridge portionaway from the pivoted portion. The power station includes the winchesfor operating the trolley hoist and for raising and lowering the pivotedbridge portion and an electric motor or a diesel engine, and provides auseful counterweight when a load is suspended from the horizontallydisposed pivoted bridge portion.

When the pivoted bridge portion is in its upright position and a strongwind blows from the sea toward the land, the wind pressure and theweight of the power station both tend to tilt the crane about thefooting of the side frame which is remote from the water. Cranes whichtravel on a pair of tracks parallel to the edge of a pier and are notfastened to the ground are particularly apt to be toppled by windsblowing inland when not operating under load.

An object of the invention is the provision of a crane of the typedescribed which resists wind pressure under all operating conditions.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It has been found that the power station, whenmounted on the side frame remote from the pivoted bridge portionperforms its function as a counterweight for the loaded pivoted bridgeportion, yet does not tend to tilt the crane in the absence of a load.

Other features, additional objects, and many of the attendant advantagesof this invention will readily be r: CC

appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to thefollowing detailed description of a preferred embodiment when consideredin connection with the accompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING In the drawing:

FIG. 1 shows a crane of the invention together with other elements of aharbor installation in front elevation, and partly in section, thepivoted bridge portion being disposed horizontally;

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the arrangement of the hoist cable inthe crane position of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows the apparatus of FIG. 1 with the pivoted bridge portion ofthe crane swung upward;

FIG. 4 is a diagram corresponding to FIG. 2 and showing the arrangementof the hoist cable in the crane position of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 shows the mechanism for lifting and lowering the pivoted bridgeportion of the crane in a diagrammatic manner;

FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate the crane of FIG. 1 in elevational section onthe lines VIVI and VII-VII respectively; and

FIG. 8 shows the crane of FIG. 1 expanded for widening the base of itssupporting structure.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawing indetail, and initially to FIG. 1, there is seen a pier 10 having avertical wall 12 near which a container-ship 14 is moored. Tracks 16, 18on the pier 10 and parallel to the wall 12 support wheels 20, 22 of acrane 24.

The supporting structure of the crane consists mainly of two side frames26, 28 whose base portions are respectively provided with the wheels 20,22, and whose top portions project beyond a bridge 30. A fixed portion32 of the bridge connects the side frames 26, 28. A pivot 62 on the endof the bridge portion 32 which projects beyond the side frame 28 towardthe ship 14 attaches a bridge portion 34 to the bridge portion 32.Another bridge portion 36 is cantilevered on the other end of the fixedbridge portion 32 and projects beyond the side frame 26.

As is better seen in FIGS. 6 and 7, each of the bridge portions has twohorizontally spaced beams 38, 40 which provide tracks for a trolley 42.In the position of the bridge 30 shown in FIG. 1, the: trolley cantravel over the entire length of the bridge, and is shown at the freeend of the pivoted bridge portion 34 above the deck of the boat 14.

The trolley 42 is equipped with a hoist 44 and carries an operators cab94. The power station for operating the hoist 44 and for lifting andlowering the pivoted bridge portion 34 is controlled from the cab in amanner conventional in itself and not illustrated in detail. The powerstation is located within a housing which is an integral part of theside frame 26, as is best seen in FIG. 6. The side frame has two uprightmembers whose base portions carry the wheels 20, and whose top portionsare connected by the housing 100.

A tension member 51, normally a steel cable, is shown in FIG. 2 toextend from a winch 52 in the power station over a guide pulley 54 onthe free end of the cantilevered bridge portion 36, and thencehorizontally to a guide pulley 50 on the trolley 42. The other end ofthe cable 51 is attached at 56 to the free end of the pivoted bridgeportion 34 and extends horizontally to another guide pulley 50 on thetrolley. The trolley is suspended by wheels 48 from the bridge beams 38,40.

The intermediate portion of the cable 51 between the guide pulleys 50 istrained over pulleys 58 on a carrier frame 60 to which containers 46 maybe coupled in a known manner, not shown and not directly relevant tothis invention. A pulley 90 mounted on the free end of a bracket 92 isinoperative in the position of the apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Thebracket 92 is pivotally attached to the side frame 28 near the bridge30.

The trolley 42 is operated by means of its own electric motor, notshown, in a manner known in itself. The vertical position of the frame60 and of a container fastened thereto does not change while the trolley42 is moved by its non-illustrated motor along the bridge 30. Verticalmovement of the load is controlled entirely by the power station 52.

In the horizontal position shown in FIG. 1, the pivoted bridge portion34 is secured by rods 76, 78 which are hingedly fastened to the top ofthe side frame 28 and to respective parts of the bridge portion 34spaced from the pivot 62. The supporting structure of the crane isbraced by stiffening bars 86, 88 pivotally attached to the fixed bridgeportion 32 near the side frame 26 and respectively pivotally attached tothe side frame 28 above and below the bridge 30.

While only two beams 86, 88 are seen in the drawing, it will beunderstood that the beams are mounted in spacedly juxtaposed pairs, theillustrated member of each pair obscuring the other member. Similarly,there are at least two hoisting cables or other tension members 51 whichare wound on separate, synchronously operated winches.

The side frame 28 slopes upward from its base at the wheel 18 andobliquely away from the water line so that the pivot 62, While offsetfrom the side frame 28 in a direction away from the side frame 26 isstill offset horizontally from the base of the side frame 28 toward theside frame 26. When the beam portion 34 is swung upward from theposition shown in FIG. 1 into that illustrated in FIG. 3, it is entirelyout of the path of the boat 14 although the track 18, the wheels 22, andthe base portion of the side frame 28 are closely adjacent the wall 12.

When the bridge portion 34 is to be raised, the trolley 42 is firsttransferred to one of the bridge portions 32, 36, and the bracket 92 isswung around on the side frame 28 into the path of the trolley 42 untilthe pulley 90 engages the cable 51, as shown in FIG. 4. When the bridgeportion 34 is then swung upward, a part of the cable 51 extending fromthe pulley 50 on the trolley 42 toward the pivoted bridge portion 34 isstill horizontal and parallel to the fixed bridge portiton 32. Thetrolley 42 may be moved back and forth on the bridge portions 32, 36without causing vertical movement of a load attached to the cable 51.

The rods 76, 78 each consist of two portions hingedly connected bypivots 80, 82. When the bridge portion 34 is lifted into the positionshown in FIG. 3, the rods 76, 78 are folded. The bridge portiton 34 islocked in the lifted position by an arm 84 pivoted to the top of theside frame 28 and carrying a hook on its free end which engages acorresponding stud on the bridge portion 34. The locking arm 84 isconnected with the bridge portion 34 by a linkage (not illustrated)which raises the arm to the position shown in FIG. 3 when the bridgeportion 34 is raised, and lowers the arm to a position in which it isobscured behind the frame 28 when the bridge portion 34 is lowered tothe position seen in FIG. 1.

The mechanism for raising and lowering the pivoted bridge portiton 34 isshown in FIG. 5. Two cables 64 connect corresponding winches 66 of thepower station in the housing 100 with blocks 74 at the free end of thepivoted bridge portion 34, not itself seen in FIG. 5, only the elementsassociated with one of the cables 64 being shown in FIG. 5, the otherarrangement being substantially identical.

Each cable 64 is trained from the associated winch 66 over a guidepulley 68 on the top of the side frame 28, and several strands 70 of thecable then extend back and forth between the aforementioned block 74 andanother block 72 suspended from the side frame 28. The free end of thecable 64 is attached to the side frame 28.

The bridge portion 34 is lifted or lowered as the lifting cables 64 arepulled in or paid out by the winches 66.

It is normally desirable to arrange railroad tracks between the sideframes 26, 28 as seen in FIG. 3, so that containers 46 may betransferred directly between the hold of the ship 14 and railroad fiatcars. This arrangement also permits containers to be stored on theground under the cantilevered bridge portiton 36. If such storage is notconsidered, but more railroad tracks are to be accommodated than can beplaced between the side frames 26, 28 when arranged as shown in FIGS. 1and 3, the supporting structure of the crane is expanded in the mannerillustrated in FIG. 8.

The fixed bridge portion 32 is split into two longitudinal parts whichare fixedly connected when the crane is in the condition shown in FIGS.1 and 3. When it is desired to widen the spacing of the side frames 26,28, an insert 96 is provided between the two parts of the bridgeporrtion 32. Similarly, the stiffening bars 86, 88 are lengthened byinserts 98 so that the side frame 26 carrying the power station housing100 is shifted almost to the end of the bridge portion 36 remote fromthe bridge portion 32.

In both illustrated positions of the side frame 26, the housing 100 andthe winches and motor (not shown) arranged therein provide a heavycounter-Weight for a load supported on the pivoted bridge portion 34.Yet, the weight of the power station is transmitted to the track 16 bythe vertical frame 26, and the weight of the power station does notproduce a moment Which may assist in toppling the crane when the pivotedbridge portion is upright, as shown in FIG. 3, and when the crane isexposed to a strong wind blowing from. the right, as viewed in FIGS. 1,3 and 8.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing disclosurerelates only to a preferred embodiment of the invention, and that manychanges and modifications may be made in the embodiment of the inventionherein chosen for the purpose of the disclosure which do not constitutedepartures from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A crane comprising:

(a) two horizontally spaced upright side frames;

(a) a bridge having a fixed portion connecting the tops of said sideframes and another portion pivoted to the fixed bridge portion andextending from the same beyond one of said side frames in a directionaway from the other side frame, said side frames and said fixed portionconstituuting fixed support elements of said crane;

(c) a trolley arranged for movement on said bridge;

(d) a hoist on said trolley;

(e) a power station fixedly secured to said other side frame;

(f) a tension member extending from said power station to said hoist,

(1) said power station including a winch, said tension member having twoend portions respectively fastened to said. winch and to a terminal partof said pivoted bridge portion remote from said fixed bridge portion,

(2) said hoist including two guide pulleys on said trolley and a carriermember having at least one pulley, a portion of said tension memberintermediate said end portions of the same being trained over saidpulleys, said carrier member being suspended from said tension member;

(g) guide means for holding a part of said intermediate portion of thetension member substantially parallel to said fixed bridge portion inall angular positions of said pivoted bridge portion, said partextending from said trolley in a direction from said other side frametoward said one guide frame, said guide means including (1) bracketmeans mounted on one of said support elements and movable into and outof the path of said trolley on said bridge, and (2) a pulley on saidbracket means engageable with said tension member when the bracket meansis in the path of said trolley.

2. In a crane as set forth in claim 1, said bridge having a cantileveredportion extending from said fixed portion beyond said other side frame,a guide pulley on a terminal part of said cantilevered bridge portion,said tension member extending from one of the guide pulleys on saidtrolley to the guide pulley on the terminal part of said cantileveredbridge portion, and thence to said power station.

3. In a crane having two horizontally spaced upright side frames, abridge having a fixed portion connecting the tops of the side frames andanother portion pivoted to the fixed bridge portion and extending fromthe same beyond one of the side frames in a direction away from theother side frame, said side frames and said fixed portion constitutingfixed support elements of said crane, a trolley arranged for movement onthe bridge, a hoist on the trolley, a power station for the hoistarranged on said other side frame and connected to said hoist by atension member, the improvement which comprises:

(a) two stiffening bars pivotally attached to said fixed supportelements of said crane closely adjacent said power station, andrespectively pivotally attached to portions of said one side frame aboveand below said bridge, said stiffening bars and said fixed bridgeportion being split; and

(b) respective inserts removably mounted between the split parts of saidstifiening bars and of said fixed bridge portion, whereby the horizontalspacing of said side frames may be varied.

4. In a crane as set forth in claim 3, said tension member havingrespective end portions fastened to a part of said pivoted bridgeportion remote from said one side frame and to a part of said one sideframe upwardly spaced from said bridge, said tension member supportingsaid pivoted bridge portion when the same is horizontally aligned withsaid fixed bridge portion.

5. In a crane as set forth in claim 3, guide means on said one sideframe upwardly spaced from said bridge, an elongated flexible liftingmember having one end portion attached to a part of said pivoted bridgeportion remote from said fixed portion, an intermediate portion movablyengaging said guide means, and another end portion, said power stationincluding winch means for pulling in and paying out said other endportion of the lifting member.

6. In a crane as set forth in claim 5, locking means for locking saidpivoted bridge portion in a position in which said pivoted bridgeportion is angularly oflset from said fixed bridge portion.

7. In a crane as set forth in claim 3, said other side frame includingtwo spacedly juxtaposed upright frame members, and a housingtransversely connecting the top ends of said frame members, said powerstation being arranged in said housing.

8. In a crane as set forth in claim 7, said bridge passing between saidframe members and. being vertically spaced from said housing.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 731,231 6/1903 Seauer 212-15754,187 3/1904 Aumund 212-15 1,019,867 3/1912 Watson 21215 3,351,21311/1967 Newman 212-39 3,414,143 12/1968 Scott 212-15 FOREIGN PATENTS1,079,553 12/1954 France. 1,412,752 10/1965 France. 1,437,599 12/ 1966France.

621,818 4/ 1949 Great Britain.

HARVEY C. HORNSBY, Primary Examiner

